1984 College Football All-America Team

Official list of the best college football players of 1984

1984 College Football All-America Team
College Football All-America Team
1984 NCAA Division I-A football season
Official selectors
American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Associated Press (AP) Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) United Press International (UPI) Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF)
← 1983 1985 →

The 1984 College Football All-America team is composed of college football players who were selected as All-Americans by various organizations and writers that chose College Football All-America Teams in 1984. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recognizes five selectors as "official" for the 1984 season. They are:^[1] (1) the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA); (2) the Associated Press (AP) selected based on the votes of sports writers at AP newspapers; (3) the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA); (4) the United Press International (UPI) selected based on the votes of sports writers at UPI newspapers; and (5) the Walter Camp Football Foundation (WC). Other selectors included Football News (FN), Gannett News Service (GNS), the Newspaper Enterprise Association (NEA), and The Sporting News (TSN).

Consensus All-Americans

The following charts identify the NCAA-recognized consensus All-Americans for the year 1984 and displays which first-team designations they received.

Offense

Name	Position	School	Number^[2]	Official	Other
Keith Byars	Running back	Ohio State	5/4/9	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
Doug Flutie	Quarterback	Boston College	5/4/9	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
Bill Fralic	Offensive tackle	Pittsburgh	5/4/9	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
Kenneth Davis	Running back	TCU	5/4/9	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
David Williams	Wide receiver	Illinois	5/4/9	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
Mark Traynowicz	Center	Nebraska	5/3/8	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA
Lomas Brown	Offensive tackle	Florida	4/2/6	AFCA, AP, FWAA, WC	NEA, TSN
Del Wilkes	Offensive guard	South Carolina	3/0/3	AFCA, AP, WC	-
Bill Mayo	Offensive guard	Tennessee	2/1/3	UPI, WC	FN
Eddie Brown	Wide receiver	Miami (Fla.)	2/1/3	AFCA, AP	NEA
Jay Novacek	Tight end	Wyoming	2/1/3	AFCA, UPI	NEA
Jim Lachey	Offensive guard	Ohio State	2/1/3	FWAA, UPI	GNS
Rueben Mayes	Running back	Washington State	2/0/2	FWAA, UPI	-
Dan Lynch	Offensive guard	Washington State	1/3/4	AP	FN, GNS, NEA

Defense

Name	Position	School	Number^[2]	Official	Other
Jerry Gray	Defensive back	Texas	5/4/9	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
Jack Del Rio	Linebacker	USC	4/2/6	AFCA, AP, FWAA, WC	FN, NEA
Bruce Smith	Defensive end	Virginia Tech	4/2/6	AFCA, AP, FWAA, WC	GNS, NEA
Ron Holmes	Defensive end	Washington	4/2/6	AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, NEA
Gregg Carr	Linebacker	Auburn	4/1/5	AFCA, AP, UPI, WC	FN
Tony Degrate	Defensive tackle	Texas	4/1/5	AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN
Tony Thurman	Defensive back	Boston College	4/1/5	AFCA, AP, UPI, WC	GNS
Larry Station	Linebacker	Iowa	4/0/4	AFCA, AP, UPI, WC	-
Tony Casillas	Defensive tackle	Oklahoma	3/3/6	AFCA, AP, FWAA	GNS, NEA, TSN
Jeff Sanchez	Defensive back	Georgia	3/0/3	AFCA, UPI, WC	-
David Fulcher	Defensive back	Arizona State	2/4/6	AP, FWAA	FN, GNS, NEA, TSN
Rod Brown	Defensive back	Oklahoma State	2/0/2	AFCA, WC	-

Special teams

Name	Position	School	Number^[2]	Official	Other
Ricky Anderson	Punter	Vanderbilt	5/2/7	AFCA, AP, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, NEA
Kevin Butler	Kicker	Georgia	4/2/6	AFCA, FWAA, UPI, WC	FN, NEA

Offense

Receivers

David Williams, Illinois (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Eddie Brown, Miami (Fla.) (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-2, NEA-1)
Jerry Rice, Miss. Valley State (CFHOF) (FWAA, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Tracy Henderson, Iowa State (AP-2, FN-1, NEA-2)
Gerard Phelan, Boston College (AP-2)
Reggie Bynum, Oregon State (NEA-2)
James Maness, TCU (AP-3)
Larry Ray Willis, Fresno State (AP-3)

Tight ends

Jay Novacek, Wyoming (CFHOF) (AFCA, UPI-1, NEA)
Rob Bennett, West Virginia (WC)
Mark Bavaro, Notre Dame (AP-1)
Carl Hilton, Houston (TSN)
Jon Hayes, Iowa (GNS)
Willie Smith, Miami (AP-2)
Keli McGregor, Colorado State (UPI-2, NEA-2)
Alan Andrews, Rutgers (AP-3)

Tackles

Bill Fralic, Pittsburgh (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Lomas Brown, Florida (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, WC, NEA-1, TSN)
Ken Ruettgers, USC (GNS)
Brian Jozwiak, West Virginia (AP-2)
Jim Juriga, Illinois (UPI-2)
Daren Gilbert, Cal State Fullerton (NEA-2)
John Clay, Missouri (AP-3)
Jeff Dellenbach, Wisconsin (AP-3)

Guards

Dan Lynch, Washington State (AP-1, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1)
Jim Lachey, Ohio State (FWAA, UPI-1, GNS, NEA-2)
Del Wilkes, South Carolina (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-2, WC)
Bill Mayo, Tennessee (AP-3, UPI-1, WC, FN-1)
Lance Smith, LSU (AFCA, AP-2 [OT], UPI-1 [OT], FN-1 [OT], NEA-2 [OT])
Carlton Walker, Utah (AP-2, FWAA, NEA-1)
Andrew Campbell, SMU (NEA-2, TSN)
Harry Grimminger, Nebraska (AP-2, TSN)
Larry Williams, Notre Dame (AP-3, UPI-2)

Centers

Mark Traynowicz, Nebraska (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1)
Kevin Glover, Maryland (GNS, TSN)
Trevor Matich, BYU (AP-3, GNS)^[3]
Brent Martin, Stanford (GNS)
Mike Kelley, Notre Dame (GNS)
Phil Bromley, Florida (AP-2)
Kirk Lowdermilk, Ohio State (UPI-2)
Gene Chilton, Texas (NEA-2)

Quarterbacks

Doug Flutie, Boston College (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Bernie Kosar, Miami (AP-2, NEA-2)
Robbie Bosco, BYU (AP-3, UPI-2)

Running backs

Keith Byars, Ohio State (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Kenneth Davis, TCU (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Rueben Mayes, Washington State (CFHOF) (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1)
Greg Allen, Florida State (AP-3, UPI-2, WC, FN-1, NEA-2)
Johnnie Jones, Tennessee (AP-2)
Curtis Adams, Central Michigan (UPI-2)
Ethan Horton, North Carolina (AP-3, UPI-2)
Dalton Hilliard, LSU (NEA-2)

Defense

Defensive ends

Ron Holmes, Washington (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1 [DT], WC, FN-1, NEA-1)
Bruce Smith, Virginia Tech (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2 [DT], WC, GNS, NEA-1)
Tim Green, Syracuse (CFHOF) (AP-3 [DT], GNS, TSN)
Leslie O'Neal, Oklahoma State (CFHOF) (AP-1, UPI-2 [DT], GNS, NEA-2 [DT], TSN)
Freddie Joe Nunn, Mississippi (Ole Miss) (UPI-1, FN-1)
Mike Gann, Notre Dame (UPI-2)
Garin Veris, Stanford (UPI-2)

Defensive tackles

Tony Casillas, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1 [MG], FWAA, UPI-2 [MG], GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Tony Degrate, Texas (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-2)
Ray Childress, Texas A&M (CFHOF) (AP-3, UPI-1 [DE], TSN)

Middle guards

William Perry, Clemson (AP-3, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-2)
Tim Newton, Florida (AP-2)

Linebackers

Jack Del Rio, USC (AFCA [DL], AP-1, FWAA, WC, FN-1, NEA-1)
Larry Station, Iowa (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, NEA-2)
Gregg Carr, Auburn (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-2)
Duane Bickett, USC (AP-3, FWAA, UPI-1, NEA-1, TSN)
James Seawright, South Carolina (AP-1, FWAA, UPI-2, NEA-1)
Cornelius Bennett, Alabama (CFHOF) (FN-1, GNS, TSN)
Alonzo Johnson, Florida (AP-3, UPI-2, TSN)
Marc Munford, Nebraska (GNS)
Eric Wilson, Maryland (AP-2, FN-1, NEA-1)
Brian Bosworth, Oklahoma (CFHOF) (AP-2)
Knox Culpepper, Georgia (AP-2)
Willie Pless, Kansas (AP-2)
Tim Meamber, Washington (AP-3, UPI-2, NEA-2)
Fred Smalls, West Virginia (NEA-2)
John Offerdahl, Western Michigan (AP-3)

Defensive backs

Jerry Gray, Texas (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Tony Thurman, Boston College (AFCA, AP-1, UPI-1, WC, GNS)
David Fulcher, Arizona State (CFHOF) (AP-1, FWAA, FN-1, GNS, NEA-1, TSN)
Jeff Sanchez, Georgia (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-1, WC)
Rod Brown, Oklahoma State (AFCA, AP-2, UPI-2, WC)
Richard Johnson, Wisconsin (FWAA, NEA-1, TSN)
Bret Clark, Nebraska (AP-2, FWAA, UPI-2, FN-1, NEA-2, TSN)
Kyle Morrell, BYU (AP-1, NEA-2)
Lester Lyles, Virginia (AP-3, GNS)
Issiac Holt, Alcorn State (NEA-1)
Anthony Young, Temple (AP-2)
Sean Thomas, TCU (UPI-2)
Don Anderson, Purdue (NEA-2)
John Hendy, Long Beach State (NEA-2)
Jim Bowman, Central Michigan (AP-3)
Paul Calhoun, Kentucky (AP-3)
Nate Harris, Tulsa (AP-3)

Special teams

Kickers

Kevin Butler, Georgia (CFHOF) (AFCA, AP-2, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-1)
John Lee, UCLA (AP-1, UPI-2, GNS, NEA-2, TSN)
Donald Igwebuike, Clemson (AP-3)

Punters

Ricky Anderson, Vanderbilt (AFCA, AP-1, FWAA, UPI-1, WC, FN-1, NEA-1)
Randall Cunningham, UNLV (CFHOF) (AP-2, UPI-2, TSN)
Dale Hatcher, Clemson (GNS)
Tom Tupa, Ohio State (AP-3, NEA-2)

Returners

Willie Drewrey, West Virginia (TSN)

Key

Bold – Consensus All-American^[1]
-1 – First-team selection
-2 – Second-team selection
-3 – Third-team selection
CFHOF = College Football Hall of Fame inductee

Official selectors

AFCA – American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), selected by the members of the AFCA for the Kodak All-America team^[4]
AP – Associated Press^[5]
FWAA – Football Writers Association of America^[6]
UPI – United Press International^[5]
WC – Walter Camp Football Foundation^[7]

Other selectors

FN – Football News^[8]
GNS – Gannett News Service^[9]
NEA – Newspaper Enterprise Association^[10]
TSN – The Sporting News^[11]

References

^ ^a ^b "Football Award Winners" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). 2016. pp. 3, 13. Retrieved March 18, 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c This column lists the number of selectors choosing the player as a first-team All-American as follows: official selectors/other selectors/total selectors.
^ In selecting its All-America team, Gannett News Service insisted that five players were equally deserving of being picked as the first-team center and therefore picked all five as co-honorees.
^ "USC's Del Wilkes selected to Kodak All-America team". The Index-Journal, Greenwood, SC. December 2, 1984. p. 2D.
^ ^a ^b "Honor Teams". The Indianapolis Star. December 5, 1984. p. 62.
^ Ted Gangi (ed.). "FWAA All-America Since 1944: The All-Time Team" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2019. Retrieved March 8, 2016.
^ "Walter Camp All-America Team". Omaha World-Herald (NE). November 22, 1984. p. 77 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Football News names Smith to second team". The Roanoke Times (VA). November 28, 1984. p. D2 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Joel S. Buchsbaum (December 2, 1984). "Flutie, Byars lead Gannett All-Americans". The Journal-News (White Plains, NY). p. D11.
^ Murray Olderman (November 20, 1984). "USC's Seawright named to NEA All-America team". The Index-Journal, Greenwood, SC. p. 11.
^ "Flutie named Sporting News Player of the Year". The Des Moines Register. December 12, 1984. p. 15.

1984 College Football All-America Team consensus selections

Offense

QB Doug Flutie
RB Keith Byars
RB Kenneth Davis
RB Rueben Mayes
WR David Williams
WR Eddie Brown
TE Jay Novacek

Defense

DB Jerry Gray
DB Tony Thurman
DB Jeff Sanchez
DB David Fulcher
DB Rod Brown

Special teams

PK Kevin Butler
P Ricky Anderson

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College Football All-America Teams